convoquer

The French verb "convoquer" means to summon or to call together, often in a formal or official context.

Meaning:

• It refers to officially asking or ordering someone to come to a meeting, interview, hearing, or gathering.
• Can be used for summoning workers, members of a committee, witnesses, students, etc.

Example:

• Le directeur a convoqué une réunion. — The director called a meeting.
• Elle a été convoquée chez le médecin du travail. — She was summoned to the occupational health doctor.

Synonyms and differences:

• Appeler: Means "to call" in a general sense but is less formal and does not imply a formal summons.
• Inviter: Means "to invite," usually implying a friendly request rather than an official or obligatory summons.
• Rassembler: Means "to gather" or "to assemble," focusing on bringing people together but not necessarily one by one or officially summoning.
• Citer: Used mainly in legal context to mean officially summoning someone (e.g., a witness), but less common for general meetings.

In summary, "convoquer" emphasizes an official or authoritative call to appear or meet.